DA 'close to decision' on UNC academic scandal

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February 5, 2013 7:22:19 AM PST

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. --

Orange County District Attorney Jim Woodall told ABC11 Tuesday that he's "close to making a decision" on whether to pursue criminal charges in the UNC Academic Scandal, specifically within the Department of African and Afro-American Studies.

The African and Afro-American Studies program was at the center of an investigation into alleged academic fraud involving Tar Heel football players.

Woodall met with SBI agents just last week to review more evidence in their investigation.

Woodall said he expects to have a decision by the end of February on whether to pursue charges.

Last May, Woodall officially asked the State Bureau of Investigation to look into activities within the African and Afro-American Studies program. He said he wanted to know if there was any academic fraud, financial fraud, computer fraud, any forgery, or conspiracy to conceal any crimes.

Investigators are allegedly particularly interested in whether Professor Julius Nyang'oro was paid for classes he did not teach.

Nyang'oro was the department chairman.

A UNC review of classes within the department found 54 department classes that had little or no indication of instruction along with at least 10 cases of unauthorized grade changes for students who did not do all the work.

Nyang'oro has not responded to past requests from ABC11 for comment. He has not been charged.